News 18:00

BULLETIN 19 July 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA is confident the GNU can find a way forward on the National Health Insurance and the BELA Bill
# The Special Investigating Unit recovers 112-million-rand in irregular NSFAS payments            
# And, rugby: Grey College keeps on producing Springboks

# DA leader John Steenhuisen says despite the Government of National Unity facing divergence on the National Health Insurance and the BELA Bill, they will come to an amicable solution. Speaking in Parliament, Steenhuisen criticised the National Health Insurance focus on limiting access to private care and medical aid. He calls for honesty and good faith in resolving disagreements:

The South African Communist Party has also called on Ramaphosa to sign the Basic Education Bill. Passed by the National Assembly with 223 votes to 78 earlier, the bill aims to address challenges in basic education governance and ensure social justice. The SACP highlights the need for the bill to combat discriminatory practices and enhance access to education for all South Africans.

#Deputy minister of Higher Education and Training Mimmy Gondwe has applauded the Special Investigating Unit’s recovery of 112-million-rand in irregular payments from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. Following a commitment to address governance issues, the SIU recovered funds from 421 ineligible students across universities and TVET colleges. The overpayments, due to weak controls, potentially denied one-thousand-700 deserving students the financial support they needed. The department aims to reform the fund to ensure proper allocation of funds.

# The Israeli military is investigating an apparent drone attack that hit central Tel Aviv in the early hours of the morning. Israeli emergency services say the explosion left one person dead and several injured. Yemen’s Houthi militants have claimed responsibility for the attack. The incident came after the Israeli military confirmed it had killed a senior commander of the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon. Both Hezbollah and the Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians.

# Rugby: Jan-Hendrik Wessels will run out at Free State Stadium tomorrow for his first Test cap when the Springboks play Portugal. The young prop grew up in Bloemfontein and was schooled at Grey College, along with hooker André-Hugo Venter, who is ready to also make his debut from the bench. They will become Grey’s 46th and 47th Springboks. Wessels says it is extra special to make his debut at home:

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-29-cents and the euro at 19-rand-91-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-63-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-623-dollars-96-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-402-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-72-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….